Antislipping tread structure.



A. N. DEAN'L ANTISLIPPING TREAD STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28. 1915.

1,176,436. Patented Mar. 21,1916.

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awn/whom ,flfj/zzu" fjian i I W 2 THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,WASHINGTON, D c.

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ARTHUR N. DEAN, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 DOERR-MITCHELL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

ANTISLIPPING- TREAD STRUCTURE.

To'aZ'Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR N. DEAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of lVashington,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Antislipping TreadStructure, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tread surfaces which areespecially adapted for smooth portions of a sidewalk or the like, theobject being to present anti-skid or slipping surfaces so as to avoidpersonal injuries which frequently occur as pedestrians traverseman-holes, steel doors and other normally smooth surfaces incorporatedin a tread surface or sidewalk. In view of the fact that devices of thischaracter are sul jected to continuous and severe wear, be cause oftheir use on sidewalks in populous districts, it is essential to providetreadheads or buttons of such a character as to retain their efficientproperties to prevent slippage of the foot of the pedestrian, withoutpresenting to the foot of the pedestrian a too great inequality of treadsurface.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide an improvedtread-head which is of hollow construction and which presents its openside to the foot of the pedestrian, the hollow head having an upstandingflange of such contour as to present a slippage resisting surface oredge to the foot of the pedestrian irrespective of the direction inwhich the latter may be walking.

A further object of the invention is to provide the tread-heads with oneor more interrupted portions, as regards the flange thereof, so aseffectively to drain the hollow tread-heads from accumulation of waterand snow which might otherwise cause freezing, thereby reducing theefficiency of the device in preventing slippage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a two part tread device,one part comprising a hollow button, and the other part comprising ashank which is adapted to be anchored in or driven into the sidewalkstructure, and which is tapered in such a manner that when it is driveninto a metal door, or the door frame thereof, it need not be riveted onthe reverse side, unless such reverse side is accessible to a workman.

Other features and objects of the invention will be more fully describedin connec- Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Application filed September 28, 1915. Serial No. 53,079.

tion with the accompanying drawing and will be more particularly pointedout in and by the appended claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improvedtread device shown incorporated in a portion of a steel door, forming apart of a tread surface or sidewalk. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewon line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 4 is a planview of a portion of a steel door arranged flush with a sidewalk andshowing the application thereto of the device of my invention both asregards the frame and the doors proper.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout thedifferent fig ures of the drawing.

As illustrated, 1 designates a substantially cup-faced tread buttonpreferably provided with a flat base 2 which is adapted to be disposedupon the tread surface to which the device is to be attached. The baseis provided with an opening 3 which is shown counter-sunk, forprojection therethrough of a stud which will be presently described. Ihave herein shown the tread button as being circular in contour and thesame is provided with an upstanding flange 4 of substantiallycylindrical form. At one or more points, I interrupt the flange 4: byforming openings 5 which preferably extend down to the base 2 so as toopen the inclosed portions of the button to proper drainage for releaseof accumulated water or snow as the latter may melt. The upper edge 6,of the flange, as well as the corners 7, of the openings 5, presenteffective tread edges which function to prevent slippage of the foot ofthe pedestrian irrespective of the direction in which the latter iswalking. Because of the tread edge 6 being interrupted, and presentingindependent sections, it will be seen that as the flange wears down itsslippage resistant properties will in no way be reduced until the flangehas worn down flush with the face 2. Furthermore, it will be noted thatany wear that takes place, would have to reduce the flange throughoutits cross section, which, together with the fact that I make the buttonof hardened metal, would greatly prolong the life of the button evenunder the hardest usage.

My improved device includes an anchoring stud which is projected throughthe opening 3, and which is preferably pro vided with a flange 8, hereinshown as counter-sunk, to provide a grip upon the base 2' and hold thebutton in position. A special feature of this invention resides inproviding the stud with a tapered shank 9, preferably of softer metalthan that of which the usual steel doors 11 and steel door frames 12, ofsidewalks are constructed, the novel feature being to permit of the studbeing driven through a previously formed opening in the door or doorframe without riveting the tapered shank on the reverse side of the dooror door frame. The tapered shank, together with the fact thatrthe shankis of softer metal than the steel doc-rs, provides fora very firm andsecure anchorage of the stud with the assembling operation reduced togreat simplicity. When these sidewalk door frames are initially equippedwith studs, there is no way in which they can be renewed because of thefact that studs heretofore made require riveting on the reverse side,and the reverse side of a door frame is not accessible from theunderside of the sidewalk. 'lhus with my invention, these frame studscan readily be renewed when desired without removing the frame from thesidewalk. The advantages of this featurewill be appreciated in caseswhere door frames are so incorporated in a sidewalk structure so thatthey can not be removed. My improved stud is also provided with anupwardlyprojecting anvil head 10 which is considerably reduced indiameter with respect tothe shank 9. The head 10 andflanges 8 providefor driving impact of-the hammer or other implement or mechanism withwhich the stud is to be driveninto anchored relation with a door or doorframe, and I preferably make the head 10 of suflicient length so that itwill project slightly above the flange 6. One reason why the head is ofsuch length, is to facilitate the operation of driving the stud intoposi-' tion, and a further reason may be to give an added efiiciency tothe tread resistant surfaces and protect the flange section 6 againstundue wear. By reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the sole orheel of the shoe of a pedestrian would seldom engage the flange 4without resting against or upon the head 10.

In providing an anti-skidding tread surface,fit is desirable to retaindirt, sand and other like matter which may accumulate, and therefore Ireduce the drain openings 5,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for with respect to thecircumferential lengths from the foregoing description, and while I haveherein shown and described one specific form of my invention, I do notwish to be limited thereto except for such limitations as the claims mayimport.

1. In atread device for sidewalks and the like, a case hardened buttonhaving a base adapted to rest upon a tread surface'and provided with anopening in said base, said button having an upstanding flange presentinga tread edge and said flange being interrupted to form a drain passage,,and a relatively soft anchoring stud having a flange engaging said baseand being provided with a tapered lower shank projecting through saidopening for anchorage in the structure of the sidewalk, the upper end ofsaid stud being shaped to form an anvil head and projecting slightlyabove said flange, substantially as described. V

2. A tread device for sidewalks and the like, comprising in combination,a button having a base adapted torest upon the tread surface of thesidewalk and provided with an opening therein, said button having anupstanding flange presenting a tread edge and said flange beinginterrupted to form a drain discharge, and an anchoring stud havingaflange engagingsaid base'and provided with a lower tapered shankprojecting through said opening for anchorage in-the structure of thesidewalk, theupper'end of said stud being shaped to 'form an anvil head,substantially as described. 5 3 A treaddevice foFsidwalks and the likecomprising in combinationfa button,

having a base adapted to rest'upon the surface of the walk and providedwith an upstanding flange presenting a tread edge, a

portion of said flange being interrupted to provide a drain discharge, ameansfo r anchoring said button upon the surface of the walk,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

7 ARTHUR NgDE AN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. G. v

